


Aquifoliaceae

by Mustachiest



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 14:03:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13168470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mustachiest/pseuds/Mustachiest
Summary: They met under a holly tree.





	Aquifoliaceae

**Author's Note:**

  * For [s0r0hj0ne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/s0r0hj0ne/gifts).



> This is my Secret Santa gift for s0r0hj0ne, sorry if it's a bit (really) late and quite short, I've been feeling under the weather lately and it hurts to move. I will be updating this to make it up for you however, when I get better that is....
> 
> Criticisms and comments and any other form of love are very much appreciated <3

**•Aquifoliaceae•**

-one-

_ "Druids believed the Holly tree to possess protective qualities, such as guarding against evil spirits and bad luck. Legend has it that bringing the leaves inside during the winter months would provide shelter from the cold for fairies, who in return would be kind to those who lived in the dwelling." _

_-[source](https://thepresenttree.com/blogs/news/holly-tree-meaning)_

* * *

 

**Tom**  met him underneath a holly tree.  
  
It was an odd tree, it was the only one of its kind from miles and miles out of Vauxhall and it stood on top of a grassy hill that was said to be the place of death of numerous people who hanged themselves or people who killed themselves because then grew mad from the Holly tree's beauty. The holly tree also attracted all kinds of beings like weird animals and weird plants that live and gather in abundance around it. But no human (' _no human' because Tom considered himself better than human_ ) dare go near the strange holly tree, in fear of some regretful spirit residing in the tree haunting them considering that it was so  _strange_  and all.  
  
Tom was strange so he liked that tree. He wasn't like the other boys who only thought of playing ball or some other silly game or even playing with little Vianca Marie's blonde pigtails  _(Tom didn't like her, she kept looking at him funny)._ He was  _special_ , he made windows break without touching them, he made animals do what he wanted, and he did many other strange things that no normal boy should do.  
  
Tom's existence did not bode well for the ever religious Mrs.Cole; born from a woman who came in the middle of winter, the boy had always been quiet, the boy had always been special. His prodigious skill of soaking every bit of knowledge like a sponge had earned the awe pf many visiting adopting parents who never tried to adopt him because of Mrs. Cole's warnings ( _and the ire of the head matron who was convinced that he was related to the devil in some way_). He was a gem in the middle of a dull, drab pile of stones. He was too strange, too special to be living in St.Wool's orphanage ..  
  
Maybe that was the reason why the other children hated him so much.  
  
Hated him for being more knowledgable than them despite being younger. Hated him for being more beautiful than them despite being raised in the same environment.  **HATED**  how he could be so much better when he was just one of them,  unwanted orphans in the  dull, drab building of St.Wool's orphanage. So in their young minds which only repertoire was simple logic that they could only explain to themselves they thought of a counter to Tom Riddle's many blessings; made his life  **hell**.  
  
And that leads us to our current situation....  
  
Having been driven out of the orphanage by Eric Whalley and his cronies, Tom angrily cried alone underneath the 'haunted' holly tree. Hating the world on how unfair everything is towards him  _(maybe he also thought of strangling the other children and Mrs.Cole just for a little bit until they just turn  **purple**  and  **beg**  for forgiveness **[but he wasn't going to offer that will he]** )_

One day he will rise, for Tom Marvolo Riddle is destined for many great, wondrous things, he knew that ever since he was small, how he was better than all the other children in the dull orphanage, how he would one day double - **no**   **triple!**  The pain thrust unto him by the jealousy of those beneath him ( _he will see them bow, trampled beneath his feet as they beg him for mercy_ ). 

He continued his plotting until he felt a chill on his spine, as if someone was right beside him. He looked around, yet no one was visible within a 5-metre radius of Tom's holly tree.   
  
"Who are you", he whispered to the wind. The leaves fluttered in the wind and the grass swayed with the breeze. All was silent, till he heard a raspy voice.  
  
"Nobody important", the strange man answered, and he was right, he didn't look like anybody important! The man was wearing strange yet scruffy clothes, he had eyes as green as the leaves in spring (which had numerous wrinkles on the sides) and he had hair as dark as the night that was messy like a bird's nest.

Mrs.Cole told them to not to talk to strangers lest something untoward happen towards the.  _(not 'them', she never actually told Tom that, he just took that advice in considering that he saw what happened to the other orphans who got 'lost', how some of them returned but were a little bit broken but some were never taken a glimpse of ever again), _a hypocritical alcoholic she may be, she does care for her charges... or she might be only afraid on what to say to the bobby when they come ask her about the children again.

There is something special about the man though. Maybe Tom was a bit biased since no adult really talked to him unless it was to scold him or hit him with a switch on his bum (Mrs.Cole) or try to mollycoddle him because he was 'cute' or pinch his cheeks just because they just can't restrain themselves _(he was not cute)_ . There was just something otherworldly ( _he learned that word recently_ ) from the green-eyed man. It was probably only his strange clothes but Tom wanted to leave a lasting impression on the special man  _(just to prove he was special too)_

"I'm Tom. Tom Riddle", Tom says with confidence, wanting the man to know his name, that he was not some 'Tom' that would just someday leave the world forgotten.

"Hello then, Tom Riddle" The stranger smiled in response, his smile reaching up to his eyes, and for a short while, Tom wanted to smile back.

And at that exact moment, the cogs of time change, the river of destiny changed it's course and everything stood still to witness history.


End file.
